Shattered Pasts (part one in the FeatherDash saga)
by FeatherDash
Summary: An abandoned pegasus escapes his orphanage, severely injured. Who is he? What happened to him? Why can't he remember anything? My name is FeatherDash, and this is my story. FIRST FIC! R&R PLZ!
1. New Beginnings

Chapter 1: New Beginnings  
Hate. That's all I remember. I can't remember life before Equestria. I just know that a wish was granted, and my life changed forever. What I never realized was that when transferring universes, the clock resets itself. You get another chance. Everyone has teir story, sad or happy. This is my story. My life started out badly, but I was saved. I always was a shy pony, having been abandoned at an orphanage before I could even walk. I had no friends. I was alone. One day, I was threatened to give away my only toy. It was a stuffed bunny that my mother had left with me as she abandoned me. When I refused to give it up, the colt held me down on the ground while another colt stomped on my wing. By some miracle, I managed to escape. I ran away a few days ago but due to a broken wing, I can no longer fly. But that wasn't a problem, because I couldn't fly anyways. A broken wing and I am stranded without hope. Age five and alone. Great.

I writhed in pain as I sat near the edge of a forest. I looked back at my wing, and it was a scene of bloody horror. A bone had punctured the skin and was sticking out. I need help, or I will have to lose my wing. With this thought, I screamed one last time and fell unconscious.

"Will he be okay?" I heard a muffled voice say. I sat in a hospital next to a pair of pegasi. While they talked with the doctor, I noticed that the first pony was pale yellow with a pink mane. From what I saw, she didn't talk much. Her companion, however, seemed to be shouting at the doctor. The cyan pony turned and noticed I was awake. By this time I was fully alert. "He's awake! Shhhhh!" She said as she walked over to me.

"Hey there," she said in a soft voice, "how are you feeling?" She came closer and I pulled the sheet over my head, hiding from the unfamiliar pony. "Oh, I didn't mean to startle you! I'm sorry!" She seemed nice enough. Just then, I felt something soft on my side. I slowly peered out from under the covers and saw a stuffed animal. I brought my head out to look at this new pony. Rainbow. Her mane is rainbow. How had I not noticed this earlier? Her cutie mark was a three colored lightning bolt and a cloud. "What is your special talent?" I asked. She replied by telling me the story of how she got it. She saved her friend from plummeting to her doom, and proved the impossible. I looked at the stuffed animal; it was a pony in a blue suit. I took it in my hooves and stared at it, then at the rainbow maned pony.

"What's your name?" She asked me. I was startled by the question. No matter how much I thought, I could not remember anything. I began to panic on the inside and I responded in a barely audible voice, "I don't know." "Oh? That's odd. Well I'm just gonna call you squirt." "Okay. I guess that's fine."

I could remember where I came from and what happened to me, but nothing else. I began to panic and the doctor walked to the edge of the bed, "It's alright. Often times, people with as many injuries as you experience temporary amnesia." The doctor then exited, leaving me with the two pegasi.

"Where are you from?" The cyan mare asked me. "I don't wanna say," I responded a little louder than before. After about an hour of questions, they had pried the secrets out of me. "You never told me your names." I said to the cyan mare. The yellow one had left after hearing my story crying; "My name is Rainbow dash, and the one that left a while ago is Fluttershy." I looked at the stuffed pony, earlier I had learned who it was. A mare named spitfire; Rainbow Dash had gone on about her and some group called the Wonderbolts. "How did I get here?" I asked her. "My friend found you and brought you here." "Fluttershy?" I asked her in response. "No," she said, giggling for some reason, "another friend of mine did. You get to meet her later!" I got nervous at the thought of another stranger. "Oh um okay." I looked back at my wing expecting to see a bandage, but I saw my own black wing with yellow dashes unbandaged. "What? I thought I broke my wing!" I said to her. "You did." she responded with a look of sadness. "If Twilight hadn't found you, you would have lost it." At this point, I was utterly confused. Who is Twilight, and how long have I been here? "How old are you anyways?" Rainbow asked. "Seven." I lied. I couldn't tell her I was only five. Id get sent back to that horrid place. "Wow, where are you going after your treatment?" I looked at her, puzzled yet again. "You don't know what happened, do you?" I shook my head in response. "After twilight brought you here, the doctor examined you. Three bones in your wing were broken and you suffered a concussion. We took you to your room and then left. We checked on you every day. I personally wanted to-" "what do you mean, every day?" "We came in to check on you every day. Like EVERY DAY." "how many days was I sleeping?" Startled, Rainbow calmly told me what had happened. "You were in a coma for two months."

Author's note: Hi! This is my first fanfic, so if you could tell me what I need to fix, I would really appreciate it! Thanks! Also, I have it written up to chapter seven. I really want to incorporate someone's OC. Just PM me some details about him/her.

-FeatherDash


	2. Birthday Wishes

Chapter two: Birthday Wishes  
I stared at her in disbelief. Two months? I missed my own birthday! "Wait I'm eight then, not seven." I told Rainbow. Her eyes went wide as she realized I missed my birthday. She smiled as she walked over to an open window and yelled one word out an open window "Party!"

All of a sudden, a pink pony with messy hair jumped in through the open window. "Did someone say party?! I love parties!" the pink pony said as we were showered in confetti. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name? Do you like games? I love games! What's your favorite color? Mine's pink!" she rambled on like this until Rainbow stuck a cupcake in Pinkie's mouth, muffling the noise. I repeated the 'hide under the sheet routine' and slowly warmed up to this pony. She brought cake, presents, ice cream, streamers, and party hats. I never had a party before so I became confused. I got up and went to the window only to see that we were at least twenty stories up from the streets below. "How did she-" "she's Pinkie Pie. Don't ask." Rainbow said.

Just then, not one, but three ponies walked through the door. I motioned for Rainbow to come closer and I whispered in her ear, "Who are they Rainbow Dash?" "The white one is Rarity, the orange is Applejack, and the purple is Twilight." I shot back under the sheets. "You need to stop doing that. And just call me Dash." "Okay rainbo-" I brought my hoof to my mouth. "I mean, okay Dash." She laughed at that. "Hey guys! What's up?" she asked as she walked towards them. They had their own private conversation on the other side of the room as I sat there. Whatever it was, it was serious, because every once in a while one of them would say "are you sure about this?" Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice the purple pony walk over to me. I shot under the sheets, hoping they would go away.

"Hi, I'm Twilight sparkle! What's your name?" As she finished her sentence, Dash motioned not to bring it up. "Amnesia?" She asked, "I brought my eyes out from below the sheets, only to see that the five ponies had surrounded the bed and Fluttershy had come back. They all looked at me with the kindest faces I had ever seen. I could tell that they were all concerned about me, but I wasn't sure why. I came out from under the sheets as each one introduced themselves. That was the moment I wasn't afraid of strangers. It only lasted a few minutes though, because a nurse came to check on me. After the nurse had left, Pinkie piled all of the random presents on me. She saw my confused look and asked, "What's wrong? Aren't you going to open your presents?" "These are for me?" I responded. "Well no duh! It's your birthday party!" "What's a birthday party?" Pinkie gasped before she began tearing up. "You never had a birthday party?" then she burst into full tears. She recovered quickly though, and I saw how excited she was. I whispered to Rainbow Dash, "How did they know it was my birthday?" "I might have told them." She said with a wink. After all the presents were opened, I had a book on animals, a stuffed dog, an apple pie, six cupcakes, a sketchbook, and a necklace with a lightning bolt on it. I don't know what it is, but when im wearing the necklace, I feel safe; like nothing would ever happen to me.

Note: a little shorter. not my best work. five more chapters to finish writing. -_- When you review, please keep in mind i'm only 15. its my first try.

-FeatherDash


	3. Cloud Nine

Chapter three  
Two days had passed and I had become friends with everypony that was in my room that day. Even Fluttershy started talking to me. The doctor had come in that morning to inform me that I was being discharged. I was so happy at that moment; little did I know my life was going to change.

Five of the girls had left earlier, so as I exited the hospital with Dash, I realized something. I had nowhere to go. I stopped walking at this thought. Dash turned to me, knowing exactly what I was thinking. She smiled as she got a small envelope from her bag. In small writing on the front, were two words no one had ever said to me. The envelope said 'Happy Birthday' in cyan ink; I found that funny because she was cyan like the ink. She looked at me with anticipation of my reaction to whatever was in the envelope. I pulled four folded sheets of paper out of the envelope. The first read, 'You're coming with me.' Confused, I looked at the next page. There was writing all over it in colors matching the other five ponies in the room. Dash read them to me on a bench out front. Every message said the same thing. 'Good luck!' Was written in one way or another. I looked at the top of the third and fourth papers and saw the words that would change my life.

In big bold letters, I saw the words 'Welcome to your foster home' in cyan ink. I sat there, shocked. I had grown close to her but I didn't think I was this close. I covered my face with my wings. She pulled them away, exposing my tear soaked face. I sat there, sobbing. After I stopped crying, I smiled and looked at her. I jumped on her and hugged her. After that was all over, we walked to a nearby park and sat in the shade of a big tree.

"Remember your name yet, Squirt?" She asked me. I shook my head and she handed me more papers from her bag. How many papers were in that bag?! The paper had stuff written all over it, making it impossible to read. I turned it over and saw one thing written on the back is silver. 'What name would you like?' We spent the next hour deciding my name. I had never heard of somepony choosing their own name, so I let Dash choose my name. That day, I became who I am today; that day, I became FeatherFlash.

It all seemed planned out. She kept pulling paper out of her bag, until she handed a small black paper to me. In yellow ink, it said,

Lets go home.

I smiled and looked at Dash; I noticed tears forming in her eyes. I now had a home. I had a family. I never had to worry about the threat of going back to the orphanage. I knew one thing though; it would not last. She was a foster parent, so one day I would have to leave. I would have to go away from her and live with strangers. We stood up and she took off, leaving me stranded. She turned around, noticed I wasn't there, and came back. She looked at me and asked, "Do you know how to fly?" I covered my face with my wings in embarrassment until I was lifted from behind. "You're so light. Are you really eight?" I shook my head. "How old are you really?" "I'm six as of September 27th." She stopped midair, flew to the closest cloud, and set me down. "I understand why you lied, but its not right." She looked me in the eyes. "No lying to me okay?" I nodded, and I was lifted again. As we flew, I looked down. The view was amazing. I could see everything. All of a sudden, my view was blocked by a cloud. We lowered onto it, and I noticed the biggest cloud home I had ever seen.

"Welcome home, Feather!"

We sat on the front clouds, looking down. I was pointing to things I saw and Dash explained them to in the distance, I saw a large group of clouds. When I asked her what it was she looked to me. "That over there is cloudsdale. It's the coolest place ever. There are big buildings everywhere, and a giant stadium at the center of town. I'm taking you there tomorrow." "Really?" I asked her. "Really." I got up and started running around the front in excitement. _I wonder what it will be like! What are we gonna do there? Why cant we go now?! _I thought to myself. Lost in my thoughts, I tripped and landed face first in the cloud. It didn't hurt, it was really fluffy so it was a soft landing. I got up and Dash was standing in front of me. I got scared; I wasn't sure if i was in trouble or not. She then began to laugh as we picked the cloud fluff out of my black and gold hair.

Note: these chapters (1 thru 7) were all written before i started posting. im just fixing them up a little.

-FeatherDash


	4. Memory Spells

Chapter four  
A bit of fluff landed on my nose, and I felt that I was gonna sneeze. I brought my wings in front of my face so I didn't sneeze everywhere. I sneezed, and then I fell back on accident. My face turned so red, she saw it. And I'm black coated. I don't think I ever saw anyone laugh as hard as her. "I didn't think cheeks got that red!" Dash said between laughs. "Dash, where are we?" I asked her after her laughing fit was over. "First, I didn't adopt you to be called Dash. Second-" Before she got another word out I responded to the confusing statement. "You didn't adopt me though. The paper says foster parent." She sat there and stared at me in shock. If a horse could go pale, she would have. She stood up, grabbed the papers from her bag and looked them over. She walked back and forth, "No, no, no, this cant be right. "I'll be back." She said in a shaky voice. She didn't show it, but I could tell she was on the verge of tears. Just then, a pink balloon broke through the clouds, carrying the other five mares. "What do you think of your present?" Twilight asked as she stepped out onto the cloud. I became extremely confused as four more non pegasi stepped out onto the cloud. "Where's Rainbow?" Applejack asked me. "Well she said she adopted me but she pulled out the papers and it said foster parent. Then she flew off. She was starting to cry." I told them. "Rainbow Dash? Cryin'? Somethin' must be really wrong. Twilight, y'all stay here with him. I'm goin to find Rainbow with the others." They stepped back in the balloon, and I was left alone with Twilight. I flopped onto my back and sighed.

"I know exactly what's wrong." She said to herself a little too loud. "What's wrong?!" I asked in a panic. "Oh! Well, she really cares for you! Why else would she rescue you then spend every night at the hospital waiting for you?" I sat up, thinking of Dash sleeping on the hard chairs for two months. "She told me you rescued me though." I told her. "Nope. She was cloudbusting over the south edge of the Everfree forest when she found you. She carried you back to the hospital herself." "How long was she planning to adopt me then?" "Well, I helped the doctors find out what happened using learned a spell from princess Celestia. She taught me how to show another person's memory. She saw what happened to you at the orphanage and ran from the room. She came back an hour later with the papers but she must have gotten mixed up in all the rush." "When was this?" "The day she found you." "She did that for me?" "I told her it was a big responsibility. I tried to talk to her, she snapped though." I sat in awe, hearing more and more of the actual story. "She pushed me back and shouted at me. She said 'by Celestia as my witness, I will not let anyone hurt him again!' Then she signed the papers." "What happened then?" "She spent two months in the hospital with you. Here, let me show you." She pressed her horn against my forehead as it began to glow and my vision changed. I went from Dash's cloud home to my hospital room, and sure enough, the scene played out exactly as she described it. Dash screaming as tears streaked down her face. Then there was one thing she didn't explain. Dash came over to the side of my bed and kissed my forehead. I didn't know her at the time; she was a complete stranger. And then she said "you're mine to protect." As the vision faded.

I woke to the vision of the cloud home, except this time, everyone was there. They were yelling at Twilight. "You could have killed him! What were you thinking?!" Then everyone but Dash backed off and looked at me. I had gotten up and I was running over to her. She just kept yelling. I jumped onto her back and said, "Thank you Dash." Dash looked at Twilight and mouthed the words 'memory spell?' Twilight nodded and Dash just smiled.

She carried me inside the house and set me down on the couch. "I talked to the people and they said it will take a week to change it. No matter what happens, you are now my kid Feather. And also, don't call me Dash anymore. I'm your mom aren't I?" She smiled and gave me a big hug.

Note: My next chapter has some brief violence. Just warning anyone who hates violence.

-FeatherDash


	5. Im Here For FeatherFlash

Chapter five

**Note: Rainbow Dash is now referred to as mom.**

A few days passed as we decorated my new room. I slept right down the hall from My mom. Our trip to Cloudsdale was amazing, we got front row seats at a Wonderbolts show. I loved it, and wanted to put Wonderbolts stuff everywhere. We planned on painting a giant lightning bolt on my wall. Just like the ones on the Wonderbolt uniforms. We counted the days until the papers were changed. Five, four, three, two, and the countdown stopped. I woke up on the fifth day to my mom on the couch crying. She received a letter this morning that brought the news we had been dreading. The letter said a family had signed the papers to adopt me; they were coming today to pick me up. They came too soon. I sat with my mom and hugged her tightly while we cried. I didn't want to leave, and she didn't want me to go. Then the worst sound possible came from the front door; three solid knocks. She got up to answer the door. When the door opened, it revealed a large brown Pegasus. He was very tall with a brown coat and white mane. I have never seen a Pegasus as scary as that guy was. "I'm here for FeatherFlash." He told her. "No you aren't." She responded as I ran up to my room. I heard the man asked mom to move. I hid under my sheets, staring a picture of Soarin in the face. Then I heard a scream. I jumped from my bed and ran downstairs to see my mom on the floor with the imprint of a hoof on her side. I ran over to her and stood between her and the Pegasus. "Don't you dare touch my mom again!" I yelled at him. Just to prove himself, he touched her face with his hoof; That was the last conscious action he did before blacking out from a broken jaw. I would not let anyone touch my mom. I bucked the man in the face, sending him flying backwards.

I ran to my mom, who was unconscious on the floor. "Mom!" I yelled at her. She was in bad shape. I could tell. Blood was trickling out of her mouth slowly. Just then, the balloon broke through the clouds. Mom had put together a goodbye party. I ran outside and shouted to them, "I need help!" They quickly jumped out of the balloon and ran to me. I hadn't had time to move the brown Pegasus yet. "What in tarnation happened to him?" Applejack asked. "I kicked him." I responded as I jumped over him. I watched as the girls moved the man then carried mom to the balloon.

I sat on the couch covering my face and crying. I heard the door open but didn't bother to see who it was. I felt a wing wrap around me and I looked up at Fluttershy. She had come in I guess to watch me. "Are you really six? You act like you're nine or ten." She asked me as we sat on the couch. That was an odd question. I nodded my head and she smiled down at me. She was three times my size at least. "Do you want to play a game?" She asked me and I nodded my head again. "Alright, then lets go find one" she said as she stood. I got up and followed the yellow pony to a closet. I hadn't explored much of the house so I wasn't sure where we were. "Okay where is it? She bought it a few days ago so it's got to be here." She pulled out a rectangular box and set it down on the floor by the couch. I looked at what game it was and it said "WonderboltAcademy" on the cover. "Dash got it to help you learn to fly! It's a fun game. All you do is you take turns drawing cards and doing what it says." Fluttershy said. "Cool! It's the Wonderbolts!" I shouted as I ran around the room. "Do you like them Feather?" "Yes! My room is all the Wonderbolts!" I began to run for the stairs. I got up into my room and sat in front of my favorite poster. It had a big picture of Soarin on it. When Fluttershy caught up to me, she had the game with her. "Ready?" she asked me, I was already sitting in the middle of the floor with the spitfire doll I got in the hospital. "Okay here is your first card. Do ten wing ups." I got on my stomach and started doing what the card said. "Your turn Fluttershy!" I said, "Okay it says to fly around the room three times." So we took turns doing these cards for an hour and by then, it was bed time. "Time for bed Feather." Fluttershy said as she chased me down the stairs. "Can't I stay up a little longer? Please?" "Fine. But we have to stay on the couch and watch TV." (does TV exist in Equestria?) "Okay." I jumped on the couch ad got comfy as I felt Fluttershy wing wrap around me. We started watching a cartoon about a pony lost on another planet. We were halfway through an episode when I fell asleep.

Note: I squished two chapters into one here.


	6. Broken Glass

Chapter seven

I awoke to the sound of a door closing. I jumped up, startled, and looked around. I wiggled out from beneath the wing of the yellow pony, careful not to wake her. I stepped down onto the soft floor and started wandering. The house was much bigger than I had realized, and I began to explore my new home. I went down a set of stairs next to the kitchen.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I reached a dark room with a single light switch. I flipped the switch and saw that the room was empty except for one thing. Somehow, she got a picture of me while I hugged her under the tree at the park. But I noticed something. In the corner of the room, a picture frame sat face down. The glass was shattered and spread across the floor. I started to walk over to it when I was grabbed from behind. "Don't touch that! There's glass everywhere!" Fluttershy said as she set me down on the other end of the room. Over the course of the next few minutes, she swept up the glass while I just stared at the broken frame. My curiosity got the best of me and I ran for the frame. I reached the wooden frame and flipped it over, "No!" Fluttershy screamed as I saw what was in the frame. My legs failed me and I sat down in the corner of the room, holding the picture. At first I did not know who the colt in the picture; he was covered in bandages. Mom was right next to him, sleeping on a chair. She was so peaceful sitting next to whoever this is. Then I noticed it. Sticking out of the bandages was a small bit of mane; black and yellow. This was me. She really stayed with me. I turned around to see Fluttershy standing there. Time slowed down as I ran up the stairs; I was confused. Before I knew it, I was sitting in my room, holding my spitfire doll. I sat there as a familiar voice came from the hall. "Wanna do something fun?" I spun around to see a rainbow mane coming through the door with some cans of paint. I ran up to my mom as she put the cans down to hug me. "Do you like lightning?" She asked me. "Yeah! Like the one on the Wonderbolts' uniform!" I responded as I let go of her hug. "We'll then let's get painting!" I stood next to her; she painted the outline as I filled it in. I got distracted and painted the bolt on my blank flank. I started running around my room, " and here comes the latest Wonderbolt, FeatherFlash!" I laughed as I jumped on my bed. She walked over to me, with a smile on her face. "The Wonderbolts have to be really tough to join," mom said as she walked over to me, "are you tough enough?" She jumped on the bed and began a brutal round of tickle torture. I wiggled around on the bed, laughing so hard tears were coming out of my eyes. After a few minutes of this, she stood back up. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." I ran down the stairs trying to escape the impending bath, but she landed in front of me, towel on her neck. I backed up slowly, but tripped into the stairs. She caught me and brought me upstairs to the bathtub. I still can't believe how small I am. I am like a fourth of her size! "Guess what?" She asked as I turned to her. She pulled out papers from a drawer and this time it said adoption. After the awful bath, I ran around the house in excitement. I wasn't FeatherFlash anymore; I was FeatherDash.

Note: Sorry for such a short chapter. Next one will be larger.

-FeatherDash


	7. Nightmares

Chapter seven

A month passed, and I have never been happier. I have a family I can spend hearths warming eve with! In two days, we'll be opening presents and eating cookies by a fireplace. "Feather?! Where are you?" mom called from downstairs. My favorite thing to do was play hide and seek, so we played it a lot. I laughed to myself as she passed by my bed. All of a sudden a head popped out from above. "gotcha!" I ran out from beneath it and sprinted to the couch, which we established as a safe zone. Before I could reach it, I was tossed in the air and caught again by my mom, "Let's go outside!" I shouted as I ran for the door. It had snowed last night, and even the clouds were covered in snow. "stop right there." She came up from behind me and put a hat and scarf on me. "Alright, lets go!" she said as she put on her own hat. I opened the door, and I was met by a freezing wind. I sprinted out into the snow that had been left by the storm. " Oh! Do you want to build a snow pony?" "let's do it!"  
We spent a while working on our snow pony, but when it was done, it looked good. "Impressive." Said a voice behind me. I turned around to see Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. All of a sudden, a volley of snowballs came out of no where. I dove for cover as they all came down on top of us. Mom picked up snow with her wings and dropped it on them while she flew over them. I sat back, building a snow wall as a shield when all of a sudden, I was knocked back by the wall. Somehow it broke in two and collapsed on top of me. I couldn't move but I heard a scratching sound. All of a sudden my face was exposed to the light and I was staring up at Twilight. She smiled at me and moved all the snow so I could get out. That was the end of that.

We went inside and I was handed a warm cup. I took a sip and it tasted fruity but minty at the same time. I quickly drank the entire cup as I lay next to my mom, who had me wrapped in her wing. "Seeing you two so close makes me wish I had a colt." Twilight said to mom; before I knew it, it was dark outside. They kept talking on and on, so I let out a yawn and went to sleep.

I was in a small room. One door and no windows. I sat with mom like I always did, her wing wrapped around me. Then a laugh rang out from nowhere in particular. The laugh continued as the door opened, revealing the brown Pegasus I now feared. He walked over to me, grabbed me, and ran before mom even woke up. He took me to the room next to the first one. He left and I heard the lock on the door click. I couldn't take it anymore. I started crying. Then, I heard something; it got progressively louder and I realized who it was. I was hearing my mom scream my name. I charged full speed at the door, the screams getting louder and louder as time passed. I backed away as the Pegasus returned and hit me in the jaw.

Then I woke up; I was on the floor tangled in blankets. I cried to try and erase the memory of the nightmare. As soon as I untangled myself, I got up and ran into mom's room. "Mom?" I said quietly, shaking her arm a little. I shook a little harder and that did the trick ; "what's wrong Feather?" She asked me, half asleep. "I had a nightmare; can I sleep in here with you?" "Of course. Climb on in." She said as she lifted the blankets enough to let me in. I lied down and felt her wing wrap around me like she always did. "You're okay. I'm here with you." She said, trying to calm me down. It worked, and I fell asleep within minutes

Note: I'm having a little trouble with my account at the moment, so anyone who sent me OCs, i will respond as soon as i can.

-FeatherDash


	8. Black Paper and Gold Ribbon

Chapter eight

I woke up to the voice of my mom, "Happy Hearths Warming Eve, Feather!" She held a box in her mouth. I lifted my head and looked at the box. It was small with black paper and gold ribbon; I took the ribbon off and removed the paper. It was a black box, with a gold design on the top. I opened it and saw a small metal charm. I looked closer, written on the front in little letters, it said, 'FeatherDash' I took off my current necklace to slide the charm on. It slid on and hit the lightning bolt with a tiny clink of metal. I put it back on and noticed she had already started to walk away. I jumped out of the bed and started following her. "We get to go to a party today! The girls are all meeting at Sugarcube Corner in a little while. Rarity and Applejack are bringing their little sisters. You could make friends with them. Go get ready, okay?" She had walked with me to the kitchen and made hay pancakes. There have been so many new foods I get to try. After we were finished, I ran up to my room to get my Wonderbolt goggles I had gotten during our trip to Cloudsdale. "Ready?" I nodded to her and she picked me up . We flew off towards Ponyville.  
She set me down in front of the bakery. I looked all around me. There were decorations everywhere! I was tugged along gently as we moved for the entrance. "Oh hi Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said as she appeared out of nowhere. Pinkie dragged her off somewhere; I had no clue where. Just then a voice came from behind me, "Howdy there! What's your name?" I turned to see a yellow and red filly with two others. I was silent until I ran off. I poked mom with my hoof and she turned to me, "yes?" "Where are these kids you were talking about?" I asked. "Follow me," we walked across the room to the same group of fillies as before. "Girls, this is FeatherDash." They all waved to me and I hid behind my mom. "Don't be so shy Feather! Say hi!" "Uh hi there." I slowly came out from behind her and waved. "I'm Applebloom, the purple and pink maned one is Sweetie, and this is Scoots. How do you know Rainbow Dash?" "Feather is my son." Mom told them. All of their jaws hit the floor. "I adopted him after he got out of the hospital." The one named Scoots seemed disappointed at that. Mom giggled for some reason, "You guys have fun!" She said as she walked away. I felt something poke my flank and I backed away in fear of being made fun of. "Hey, check it out! He doesn't have a cutie mark either!" Scoots said as she walked to Applebloom. Her face lit up with excitement. "Wanna join the CMC?!" Sweetie started walking towards me. "CMC?" They read the puzzled expression on my face, "The Cutie Mark Crusaders of course! We are a group dedicated to helping ponies get their cutie marks! Wanna join?" I smiled when I realized they weren't making fun of me after all; I nodded and all three of them went crazy with excitement. They ran off and I didn't see them again after that.

A little while later, I found the cupcakes. As I reached for one, I was pulled back by mom, who had a giant smile on her face. "The others got you presents for your first hearths warming eve! Come on!" I wondered why the other five mares were so insistent on buying me gifts. I didn't understand, but I couldn't say no to them. Five presents later, I had another book (this one with a giant Wonderbolts logo on the front), more cupcakes, a winter jacket with a cool wing design on it, and Wonderbolts tickets.

I thanked everyone, and all of a sudden, the door swung open, revealing a yellow pony. "Sorry I'm late, I had trouble wrapping this." She walked up to me and gave me a box with black paper. Come to think of it, all of them were black paper. I was sitting on my mom's back; I opened the box and saw another Wonderbolt stuffed animal. This one had dark blue hair; I realized it was Soarin. "Whoa cool! It's just like my spitfire one at home!" She smiled at me, relieved; "Oh good! I wasn't sure if you would like it, so I was nervous and-" "It's wonderful Fluttershy, thank you." My mom interrupted before she had time to finish her sentence. I jumped down off her back and walked back to the table with the cupcakes. I grabbed one and ate it. I stuffed more cupcakes into the box Pinkie gave me. I put the box on my back, careful not to spill them. All of a sudden, I was tackled from the side, sending the box flying. I recovered from the blow and caught the box midair. I put it back where I held it before and turned to see two of the three fillies from before. "Hey guys!" I said as a piece of cloth covered my head from above. " Welcome to the club!" Sweetie said to me as I took the thing off, only to see she had joined the other two. I held something gold in my hands; I turned it over to see a pony logo in the corner. They were wearing capes exactly like this one, but mine was a different color. Instead of dark red, I had a dark blue cape with two holes on the back. I quickly put it on and slipped my wings through the holes. It fit perfectly. I smiled as they pulled me along. "Where are we going?" I asked them cautiously, "To the clubhouse of course!" Applebloom responded. I stopped and turned around; after grabbing my new jacket I got from Rarity and getting permission from mom, I ran back. "Ready!" I told them as I ran out the door.


	9. A Good Thing?

Nine

As we trudged thought the snow, the fillies went on and on about a contract or something. "Do you agree?" I nodded as we came to a large tree with a house hidden in the maze of branches. "Welcome to the clubhouse!" They shouted as they ran past me, up the wooden ramp, and inside. I noticed scoots as she ran by; I hadn't noticed, but she had wings! She was a Pegasus like me, but something was wrong. I ran up to the door at the top of the ramp. She was the same size as me, but her wings were half the size. I entered the clubhouse, and was face to face with sweetie. She was running full speed towards the door when she collided with me, sending a blur of black and white into the snow. I was on my back as she picked her head up. She was lying on top of me. She backed up, blushing. "I'm so sorry Feather! It was an accident, I swear!" "It's fine, are you okay?" I said to the red faced filly in front of me as I stood up. We went inside to warm up as we made plans for the next meeting.

About two hours later, we heard a knock on the door. We were painting at the time, so Sweetie put down her brush and opened the door to reveal a familiar pony. "Hi Rainbow Dash!" Sweetie said too her as she walked into the clubhouse. " Hi girls, I'm here for Feather." She looked over to me and sighed in frustration, "You are a handful, you know that?" I wasn't sure what she was talking about, so I closed the paints I was using and walked over to her. I didn't notice, but I was covered in streaks of all different colors. "If you're going to get messy every time you paint, you have to clean the paint off; and you know what that means." My eyes opened wide when I realized what I had condemned myself to. I would have to take another bath. I said bye to the other CMC members as mom scooped me up and we flew away.

I had decided a few weeks ago that I was old enough to take my own bath now. Much to her dismay, mom had to sit outside while I cleaned off. I wonder why she's so sad. She doesn't have to clean me anymore! Isn't that a good thing? I thought to myself as I poured soap on my mane. I looked over at the shower on the other side of the room. How old do I have to be to go in there? I quietly hopped out of the tub, but mom heard me outside the door. "You all clean, Feather?" I heard from just outside the door. "Not yet!" I responded as I slowly walked over to the shower. I opened the glass door that kept the water from going all over and closed it again once I was in. I saw a small silver knob on the wall in front of me. Curious, I turned the knob all the way as burning hot water hit me. I quickly turned it off and slipped, causing a loud noise. "Owowwowowow!" I said to myself. All of a sudden, the door swung open, revealing a seething mom. I soon realized that she saw me open the shower, walked into the bathroom, and saw the entire thing.

The water wasn't hot enough to burn my skin by the time I turned it off, but I was in a lot of trouble. At least that's what I thought until mom came in and sat next to me. "The shower is for big ponies like me, little colts like you have to stay in the tub for a while. Okay?" she told me as we sat on my bed; I nodded and expected her to leave, but she stayed. Not only had I almost burned myself, she told me I wasn't allowed to take baths alone anymore. "you never told me about this nightmare." She said in a soft voice. The vision flashed in my mind, "It was nothing!" I said as I buried my face in my arms. " if it were nothing, you wouldn't have come in last night. Now please tell me. I looked at her and she smiled. I hadn't noticed, but she wrapped me up in her wing again. It took me ten minutes to describe the entire dream to her, and when I finished, she simply moved her head closer and told me, "that is a scary dream, but it could never happen. You know why?" I shook my head. "Because I will always be with you. You will never be alone in one of those orphanages again. Okay?" I lifted my head. "Okay." I told her. I jumped off my bed to grab the Soarin doll from the corner where all my presents were. It was eight o'clock. My bedtime. I crawled under the sheets as mom stood up. "Goodnight Feather." She began to walk towards the door when I said, "Good night mom. I love you." That caught her by surprise. I had never said I loved her before. She turned to me, "I love you too Feather," she turned and walked a few steps until she turned around again. "would you like me to sleep in here with you tonight?" I nodded and quickly slid over to make room for her. She stepped on the bed and settled next to me. I was facing away from her, but I knew what she was doing. I anticipated it and felt the touch of her wing on me. I have never felt safer than when I was wrapped in her wing.


	10. Frozen Tears

ten

Note: Extremely short chapter here. I want to save some stryline for the start of the next one. sorry!

-FeatherDash

"Thanks forr the book, Twilight!" I heard mom say as she started to walk away. From what I could hear, Twilight pulled her friend back to ask a question, "How are things with Feather?" "Things have never been better! Why?" mom responded. "Rainbow Dash, tell me what happened."

"Nothing!"

"Dash, please. I only want to help you."

"He hurt himself."

"How?"

"well lately, he has been taking baths by himself, so I sit outside the door and listen. Yesterday, he got out of the bath and into the shower. He didn't know so he turned the knob all the way and he was hit with extremely hot water. He screamed, so I ran into the shower. He was fine. Nothing else."

"okay now tell me whats really going on. You look like you spent all night watching TV!"

" How can you tell when something is wrong? You always know exactly when someone's sad, how?"

"Magic, now out with it."

Mom sighed as she began to explain, "Two nights ago, he came in my room with a nightmare and spent the night in my bed. Then yesterday, when I asked him what was about, he tried to avoid the question. I got it out of him, and I started having nightmares."

"what are they about?"

I slowly opened the door as she began to explain.

"I woke up in a concrete room, and he was under my wing like he always is when he lies next to me. Then a man walks in and takes hi from me. I cant move until the door clicks shut. Then I hear him. He starts screaming. Screaming in pain. I start to call his name but he doesn't respond. Then that man walks in again with a giant grin and begins suffocating me. I wake up gasping for air after that. Im just so scared!"

By this time, twilight had noticed me, "Of what?"

"losing him. I cant lose him. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me. If I were to lose him somehow, I don't know what id do; I love him Twilight, but I don't think I can tell him that enough!" she was crying now. Inside I felt awful. I knew I was behind these dreams.

" I cant show my face to him now. His mom, afraid of sleeping alone? I cant tell him that!"

It was my fault. I made this happen. I was the reason she wouldn't sleep.

I couldn't hold back anymore.

*Slam!*

" Was that him?" I heard mom ask as I took off. It was getting colder, but I didn't care. I flew home; I just needed to be alone. A touched the door handle and realized she would find me. I turned around and took off again. I flew up to a small cloud way above the house and laid down. Then it came out. I burst into tears. I was the reason she couldn't sleep. I put that thought in her head. It was all my fault.

As time passed, it got colder. I was freezing, but I couldn't go inside. Mom might be there. So I stayed. I could hear her calling my name. I stayed up there until I fell asleep. I would have to deal with the consequences of staying outside in ten degree weather.


	11. My Little Colt

Eleven  
Note: I will try to make this chapter good to make up for the disappointing chapter before it.  
FeatherDash

I woke up in moms room. Figures, she always finds me when we play hide and go seek. I lifted my head, only to find that she was there next to me. I looked at the clock on the side of her bed, it was five forty seven. I slowly wiggled out from under her so I could go downstairs. There, I found a group of sleeping mares. Why does everything end so dramatically for me? Not only that, but there were books scattered everywhere. I changed my mind and slowly climbed the stairs again. I walked into my room and grabbed the picture from my table. It slipped out of my hands and as I bent down to get it, I noticed an envelope under the bed. I grabbed it and read what was inside.

_Feather,_

You're growing up so fast. I remember the day I found you by the Everfree forest. You were beaten up badly. I rushed you to the hospital as quick as I could, because I could tell you needed help. The thing is, I always wanted a colt, and you have given me that and so much more. The day you woke up, I was so happy! I knew that you would be the perfect little colt for me. I can't stop thinking of you growing up and what you are going to do with your life. But you're growing too fast! You deserve to be a colt! Don't go acting like a stallion until you have to. It breaks my heart to see you sad and when you smile, my heart fills with joy. I can't imagine life without you. Just remember how much I love you, and that you're always going to be my little colt.  
Mom  
  
I could see little water droplet marks on the envelope. I read the letter over and over until I was hit with the blinding light of the sun. "Have you been up all night?" Twilight said from behind me. I turned my head to see her. She was standing at the edge of my bed now. Her horn began to glow as the letter was taken from my hands, folded up, and put in the drawer with the other letters from my mom. Then I felt a warm feeling around me as I was levitated onto her back,"Lets go see your mom, she was really worried about you. Why did you stay outside last night?" I started tearing up as I explained how it was my fault that mom had nightmares until I was interrupted by her. "That wasn't your fault; mares get those after they have a foal. They care about them so much, they begin to think about what would happen if they lost them! It wasn't your fault, it's just natural!" We arrived at the door and she opened it slowly. We walked in, but no one was in the bed. "Dash calm down!" We heard fluttershy say from downstairs. I jumped down onto the fluffy cloud floor and ran down the stairs, only to be stopped by mom, who was rushing up the stairs. She grabbed me as soon as she saw me, "Oh, thank goodness you're okay! I got so worried!" The others were staring at her, so I assumed she didn't act like this normally. She put me on her back and started walking downstairs. For the next hour, I got yelled at by not only my mom, but every other pony in the room except for fluttershy. I assume she was yelling at me but it sounded like normal talking because she was so quiet. After that everypony left, and I sat on the couch with my mom. "You really scared me." She started talking to break the silence; I turned my head away from her. "No, no, no, you aren't in trouble! Were you in the library last night?" I nodded, "so you heard me?" I nodded again, "I know you cant understand, but I meant what I said. I'm so so-" I didn't let her finish her sentence. I simply hugged her tightly. " I really do love you, Feather." Remembering the letter I responded. "I love you too mommy." "Always my little colt." We fell asleep there, like we had many times before. I was wrapped in her wing, snuggling against her warm side.

Another note: Well it's not extremely long, but it works I guess. Trying to decide whether or not a time gap is a good idea.

-FeatherDash


	12. Flight Camp

Twelve

"Get up! We're gonna be late!" Mom said as she opened the curtains. Six months had passed, so it's time for summer flight camp! I was so excited when I found out mom had enrolled me, that I packed my bags. Six months ago. She grabbed the small suitcase I had packed from out of the closet. I looked out the window onto a clear June morning; Mom must have gotten up early with her team and cleared the skies. I looked out and I was happy, but I didn't want to leave mom. She always smiled when she finished work and opened the front door, because she could hear me run from wherever I was at the time. I never did figure out why the floor was so slippery, because every time I would try to stop, I'd crash into her leg. She would bend her head down so close, our noses touched and she would have an odd expression. Happy, yet annoyed at the same time. This was every day. Now I was going away for a whole week to flight camp! I had gotten fast enough to get from home to ponyville in three minutes flat. I had heard of the sonic rainboom mom did when she went to summer flight camp, and I was determined to follow her footsteps. I was lost in thought when mom nudged me, indicating it was time to leave or we'd be late. We walked outside and she carried my bag. We took off, and I flew next to her the whole fifteen minutes it took to get there. I could see the school in the distance, it was amazing! You could see small dots go through cloud loops racing each other to see who is fastest. The clouds were the purest shades of white I had ever seen. Behind all this was a large group of cabins, each one bearing its own symbol.

"Welcome to summer flight camp! A sky blue pony yelled through a megaphone. He was just a shade lighter than moms coat was so while it was hard to keep track of him, it wasn't impossible. Everyone was gathered in front of the cabins; mom poked me and pointed out the cabin she stayed in fourteen years ago when she was eight. Above the door, there was a big red bolt of lightning. The stallion that had flown over shouted through the megaphone again, but I didn't pay attention until I heard my name. "... And FeatherDash are in lightning cabin, so you all go there and get unpacked while everyone get settled. Each cabin has its own instructor, and that instructor will give each camper points through the week. The six cabins will each have a top scorer. No one will know their score until the end of the week, and highest score will receive a prize. I can't tell you what it is, but what I can tell you is, you are going to want it! Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Luminous, I'm the head of this camp and also an instructor. Now that I have introduced myself, go get to your cabins!" It was relatively easy to get to the cabin because there were only thirty campers with six cabins. I entered the cabin and immediately saw four fillies picking beds. Great; I get four cabin mates and they're all girls. One by one, they all chose beds. Mom pulled me out of the room and pointed above the door. _I'm an idiot_ I thought to myself. I saw a giant pink heart. The lightning bolt was next door. I went over and entered the lightning cabin. Inside, I was met with relief as I was introduced to four more colts. FlashFire, Frozen (that was his entire name), BurnBrush, and CloudBurst. We all met each other without fighting as we heard screams of anger from the heart cabin. "Glad we aren't in there!" Cloudburst said as we broke into a fit of laughter.  
All of a sudden, an announcement broke the silence outside. The parents had gone off to do paperwork or something, so everypony rushed outside too see their mom or dad. I looked around and didn't see her, so I took off and saw her making her way over. I flew over and landed on her back. She jumped as I bent down and hugged her from behind. I would miss lying on the couch with her wing around me. But it was only a week! We said our goodbyes and returned to our cabin. It was about five minutes before the door opened, and the instructor stepped in. It was the sky blue stallion again. I hadn't noticed, but his mane was teal. It went every which way in a messy style similar to Pinkie's, and he talked to us as he set down a bag near the sixth bed in our cabin. "Hey guys! I'm luminous and I'm your instructor this week!" I smiled, because I could tell this guy was nice. He spent the next hour and a half telling stories and explaining rules of the camp. A bell rang outside and we all jumped up. "Come on, time for dinner!" Luminous said as he walked out the door we all responded "sure luminous." He stopped and turned around. "Please just call me Lumi." We all nodded and headed off to dinner. The rest of the day went by fast; we ate dinner, did some exercise, and then went to bed.

We woke up to the same bell that signaled dinner. We got dressed and followed Lumi to breakfast. After that we returned to the cabin because Lumi had something to give us. He pulled out a box and handed each of us a cloth. It went from our necks to the backs of our ears, and covered our chests; it was like the neck section of a Wonderbolt uniform. Each of us had a different color but the same logo; it was the thunderbolt from above our door. "These let people know what cabin and instructor you belong to." He explained, "Put them on and let's get to it!" We put them on and ran outside. We began with warm ups. I quickly realized that we were doing the warm ups from the flight academy game at home. They were all a breeze, as I had done them hundreds of times already. The day continued like this, with breaks only for lunch and the bathroom. Then we all went back to our cabins after finishing drills and eating dinner. I fell asleep instantly. But it was awful.

The nightmare returned, same room, same pony, and same screams. But at the end of the dream, there was a bell as I woke up. I was shaking. I grabbed my collar thing and got up as the others did the same. This was my schedule. Every night, the nightmares began. Every day, more drills. Six days passed with a variety of strength and endurance training, and a lot of races. I never paid the races any attention; I just went as fast as I could, then left the track. I dreaded going to sleep. It was terrible.

When we had finished drills for the day, we returned to the cabin and Lumi explained how the next day was going to work. We had drills in the morning and the race after lunch. Seven days had gone by so fast.

Later, I wolfed down the last of my lunch and waited for the rest of the group to finish. The race was going to be in Cloudsdale. Cloudsdale stadium! I dreamed of racing there after I saw my first Wonderbolts show, and I was getting to do it! We sat in the athlete's room as they called out the cabin names, highest scorers, and scores. "And last but not least, the only cabin with a student who achieved a perfect score, FeatherDash from the lightning cabin!" I heard people cheer as I stood up and walked towards the field entrance. Five others were circling the field as I took off. I circled the field, looking for my mom. When I spotted her, all six mares were there. They all cheered my name, but I could barely hear them. A lot of people came to see us. So many I got nervous. No turning back now I thought to myself. _Let's do this._


	13. Hooded Heroes

Thirteen

As I flew by my mom, she smiled at me. I received a perfect score. Without even trying. As I took a final lap, I took in the view, because I knew I would never get a chance like this again. It was loud; people crowded the stands to watch us race. I looked at the course, taking in the obstacles and loops. I landed at the strip of cloud established as the starting line. We all crouched down to get ready for the start. I watched a Pegasus as he brought the checkered flag up. I waited, watching the man. The instant I saw his hand twitch, I jumped. It was a ten lap race so I didn't have to worry about going full speed yet. I kept a strong lead for the next five laps until the heart cabin filly pulled up next to me. I would not lose to a heart! I sped up, but she stayed on me. We were in the final stretch of lap eight, when I burst forward, at a speed I only imagined possible. I looked back as I crossed the finish line. In a line behind where I just flew, a bright yellow streak appeared. I had done it. I had followed her footsteps and preformed a sonic rainboom. But it wasn't a sonic rainboom, it was something different. I was thinking this through when I hit the side of the stadium, causing a loud crack the front row could hear, and a searing pain shot through my wing and down my side. I knew this pain all too well. I broke my wing. Again. I couldn't hold myself up on one wing, so I started falling. I fell until a blue streak shot through and caught me. The teal gave it away. "You okay feather?" I was in too much pain to respond. Last time I broke my wing, it was three bones. I knew there were more this time. Lumi brought me up to the start line, and began talking to me. Congratulations Feather, you just earned a full scholarship to Wonderbolt university!" I smiled and put my head back as I saw the rainbow mane above me. The pain was unbearable. I was in so much pain, my vision went black.

Again.

I woke up in a hospital room that was completely white. It was getting lighter outside and I saw people sleeping everywhere. I saw all the girls as I attempted to get out of bed. My side was killing me, but I had to get up. I had to get up because I really had to pee. I carefully stepped over everyone, out into the hall. I turned towards the bathroom and went in. After I had done my 'buisness' I walked back out into the hall. Then the toilet automatically flushed, waking people camped outside my room. _Oh crap! _I thought to myself as I ran for my room. This hurt like hell, but I didn't know why. I climbed back into the bed as fast as I could, and sat there listening. I could hear voices out in the hallway. Way more than I thought there were. I flipped over to face mom, who was right next to the bed. The clink of my necklace woke her. I closed my eyes to fake being asleep so she didn't know I had gotten up. She saw the light through the shades covering the window and walked over to watch the sunrise. Instead, she got to watch the sea. Not a sea of water, but a sea of people. "Uh, guys? Why are people crowding the parking lot?!" This woke everyone in the room. They all crowded around the window to see. "I'm not sure," Twilight said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, " I'm going to go ask." Twilight left the room as I sat up. The necklace gave me away, and they all turned to see me sitting up. "What?" I asked as mom walked up to me. She smiled and told me that I had won. Twilight opened the door and walked in. "You're never going to believe this." She turned on the TV in the corner of the room. "People were broadcasting the race at the time. Listen." The TV had turned on mid sentence to show the news. "And in Cloudsdale, more people arrive at the hospital where this injured colt recovers." The scene changed to a video of me as I started the sonic rainboom or whatever it was and crashed. "A witness sitting in the first row says that she heard a bunch of snapping sounds. His injuries are broken bones in most of his wing and chest. More on that as we get word of developments." Then someone turned the tv off, "I have a feelin Feather is going to be gettin a lot more mail now." Applejack said, staring out the window in disbelief. Then a face peered around the corner. It took about five minutes for news of me waking up to spread, but then the piles started. Over the course of the day, people dropped off get well cards, gifts, sweets, and all sorts of other things. I became an overnight celebrity. (I checked the date to make sure it was actually overnight)

The nurses had to get giant bags to put the cards in. They filled two and a half bags when the day ended. We heard running footsteps down the hallway and the nurses told whoever it was, "here, we'll give it to him. But a few seconds later, two people in hooded jackets came around the corner into my room. I stared at them as they walked up to the side of the bed. everyone else backed up, smiling. "What do we have here?" The left one said. I got nervous. I didn't know who these ponies were and I couldn't see their faces. "Looks like a tough future Wonderbolt to me." The right one said as he/she handed a rectangular box to me. "I think he deserves it, do you?" "Totally!" I was getting really confused now. They noticed it and said, "You don't recognize us?!" They pulled the hoods down and I couldn't believe my eyes.

The right hood revealed a yellow and orange mane while a blue mane came out of the left. My heroes were standing right in front of me. I was face to face with Spitfire and Soarin. I jumped up in excitement, forgetting about the box. "Oh my gosh! Mom! It's the Wonderbolts!" I shouted at her. "I know! Cool right?" She began, "when you won. The race, you won a full scholarship to Wonderbolt university for when you're older." I stared at her in confusion as Spitfire began to talk. "If a student from flight camp gets a perfect score AND wins the race, you get the grand prize." Soarin stepped forward, "I have to say, I'm impressed. This kid is really six? A perfect score is next to impossible; I didn't even get a perfect score!" "Shut up Soarin." Spitfire walked over and whispered in my ear, "Welcome to the Wonderbolts!" I remembered the box, so I grabbed it and opened it. Inside, there was a Wonderbolt uniform, goggles, a letter, a scholarship certificate, and two lifetime tickets to the Wonderbolts shows.


	14. Canvas Bags

Fourteen

The right hood revealed a yellow and orange mane while a blue mane came out of the left. My heroes were standing right in front of me. I was face to face with Spitfire and Soarin. I jumped up in excitement, forgetting about the box. "Oh my gosh! Mom! It's the Wonderbolts!" I shouted at her. "I know! Cool right?" She began, "when you won. The race, you won a full scholarship to Wonderbolt university for when you're older." I stared at her in confusion as Spitfire began to talk. "If a student from flight camp gets a perfect score AND wins the race, you get the grand prize." Soarin stepped forward, "I have to say, I'm impressed. This kid is really six? A perfect score is next to impossible; I didn't even get a perfect score!" "Shut up Soarin." Spitfire walked over and whispered in my ear, "Welcome to the Wonderbolts!" I remembered the box, so I grabbed it and opened it. Inside, there was a Wonderbolt uniform, goggles, a letter, a scholarship certificate, and two lifetime tickets to the Wonderbolts shows.

Sometime during the night, I was discharged from the hospital. I was flown home asleep, and I was on the couch. I awoke to the sound of voices. "Yes! She wants to meet him right away!" I turned to see Twilight talking with mom about something; I put my head down to go back to sleep as I felt the pain come on again. "Gaaah!" I yelled as I jumped off the couch. "Sounds like someone is awake! Come on Feather, I have more medicine." I followed mom into the kitchen, here she filled a cup with pink liquid. I took it and downed it, not expecting the awful taste that came with it. I ran around in a small circle, shouting "yuck! That's the worst stuff I've ever tasted!" I ran to grab some water and turned to see mom and twilight suppressing laughter. After a little while, the medicine kicked in and it didn't hurt as much anymore. I walked back towards the couch but tripped, falling flat on my face. I had tripped over a cloth rope. I looked over and noticed that these ropes were holding large canvas bags closed.

"Mom, what are these?" I asked as I tried to pull one into the kitchen. She smiled as she walked over and took the bag from me. "These are bags full of mail." My jaw dropped as I remembered what Applejack had said. _'Ah've got a feelin Feather's gonna be gettin a lot more mail.'_ She brought the bag over to the couch and handed me a letter she had grabbed off the counter. On the front, in giant pink letters, it said 'To Feather' I opened the card to see a purple piece of construction paper with enough glitter to make it snow across Equestria for ten minutes at least. It was a letter from the CMC. It said 'get better soon!' and was signed by each of the three crusaders. Mom was still laughing at the amount of glitter that had fallen everywhere. She grabbed a handful and sprinkled it over my head. I quickly returned the favor as Twilight walked over. "Dash, we need to go! Canterlot is a long trip away!" I thought she had left a while ago. Weird.


	15. Cadence's Wish

"Feather, wake up! We're here!" Someone was poking my side as I stood to my feet. We were a few feet away from a terrace off the side of a castle. "Welcome to Canterlot!" A Pegasus guard said as he helped me down out of the balloon. "The princesses have been awaiting your arrival." "Thank you kind sir." Twilight said as she floated me on her back and ran for the door. It was mid July and the sun was beaming down, warming the air. We came to a huge set of stained glass doors bordered in silver. As the doors opened, I saw the royal throne room and the royalty of Equestria.

"Welcome FeatherDash! We have been waiting for your arrival." Princess Luna said as she stood to her feet. "We were there you know; that was a pretty special performance." I could feel my cheeks getting hotter. Princess Celestia stood to her feet and walked over to me. When she stood right in front of me, her head lowered to meet my level, and she began speaking. "You are a very special colt, FeatherFlash. Only two pegasi have ever achieved a perfect score. Three, counting you. Can you guess who these two ponies were?" I stared at her and took a wild guess. "You?" She smiled at me, "and Luna?" "Actually, me and a friend of mine!" Just then, the doors flew open. "Sorry we're late everypony! It Twily here yet?" Shining armor was walking through the door when he was interrupted by Celestia. "It's quite alright, I assure you. I was just telling Feather here about Cadence." I looked at her. Princess cadence was Shining Armors bride, but she was so much younger than Celestia. "She got a perfect score as well. She wasn't always an alicorn, though. I told her I would grant her a single wish. She asked to be an alicorn, and while it was difficult, I fulfilled her wish." "She's telling you the truth. It was my wish." I turned to see cadence towering over me like everyone else. "But you need to make your own wish. Think hard, because you can have anything." I knew what she had gotten was a chance to learn a new art. I didn't know exactly what I wanted.

"You do not need to provide an answer immediately. Seeing as it has gotten dark out, you can spend the night here." "We have to go home, I left his pain medicine there and-" Celestia interrupted the thought. "I assure you, we can retrieve the medicine from a doctor around Canterlot. There is simply no need to travel at night. Shining Armor, I assume you would like to talk to your sister a little, so you may accompany them to their rooms if you would like." "Thank you your majesty." Shining Armor said as we exited the room. I looked out the window to see the dark of night. How long had we been there?! We went down a maze of hallways leading past a library and a bunch of other closed doors. Twilight had turned into the library, and we reached a large silver door which opened to reveal the biggest bed I had ever seen. We wasted no time getting into bed, and I felt moms breathing fall into a steady pattern. I wiggled out from under her wing and walked out into the hall. _I hope this is the right way!_ I thought to myself as I charged down the hall.


	16. Books

Seventeen

As I turned around yet another corner, I found my target. Two large oak doors leading to the royal library. I slowly walked towards it, because I knew night guards would be patrolling the hallways. I opened the door a crack, slipped in, then closed it again. I heard the royal library was large, but I didn't know it was this large. The walls seemed to go on forever in all directions. I picked a direction and ran off. The signs on the ends of the shelves helped me find my way to pegasi history. I turned in, expecting a shelf filled with all sorts of textbooks, but there was only one. I could read extremely fluently because mom taught me to read ever since I was taken in. I grabbed the single book, a leather bound journal with white ink on the cover. As I set it on the floor and tried to open it, I heard the sound of books sliding. I quickly set the book back on the shelf and hid in the empty bottom shelf. I heard footsteps coming closer, and my heart began racing. I saw white hooves turn down the isle and come closer to me. I couldn't tell who it was, so I kept quiet and stayed where I was. Then it hit me.

The books were gone because someone was using them. I heard dozens of books slide into place above me and next to me. One began coming closer to me, and before I had time to move, it slammed into my bad ribcage. I whined in pain, hoping whoever it was didn't hear me. He or she did.

I was levitated out from the bottom shelf. "Little colts really shouldn't sleep on bookshelves. You won't sleep well." I was lifted up to see shining armor staring me in the eyes. I smiled sheepishly as he lowered me down again. I looked up and saw all the books that had been returned tho the shelves and saw three books I wanted to look at. I flew up and grabbed one, set it down on the floor and repeated the process until I had all three of the books in front of me. "You're probably going to have the most luck with this one, if I know what you are reading about." He levitated a brown saddlebag to his back, and removed a silver book with green writing. He was right. It was exactly the book I had been looking for. "Where's your bag? He asked me. "I don't have a bag. I normally just carry things on my back." He set the book on my back and motioned for me to follow him.

He led me to a small square table. It had a few books On it and a gray saddlebag. He floated it over to me and fitted it, careful not to hurt my wing or ribs in the process. I opened the right pouch, slid the book inside, and thanked him. But he wasn't going to let me leave so easily. I was forced to follow him to a row of books on magic. He pulled another book out, this one black with no writing on the front. "Don't open that book until your wish has been granted. It will answer any question you have." He said as we walked back to the small table. Except this time, we weren't alone.

"Feather?! What are you doing here so late?! You should be in bed!" An angry Twilight shouted as she walked towards me. I could tell I was in deep trouble. She stormed over to me and put me on her back, like she always did. "I found him looking at alicorn history and anatomy books." Shining armor told her. She stopped in shock. "Feather, don't do that. I know Cadence's wish sounds cool but its worse than you think." We started to walk towards the door as a night guard burst in, looking for me. "Silent Wind, is something wrong?" Shining armor asked the guard. "This little one slipped out without telling anyone, so his mother is extremely worried." I never understood why she worried if I went somewhere alone. There were a lot of things I never understood.

"Thank you, silent. We will escort him back to his room." The night guard known as silent wind stood up straight as we passed. "At ease." The command was given by shining armor and the guard relaxed. Once we were in the hall Twilight continued. "Horns are bones, so they don't just appear. Natural unicorns and alicorns are born with horns, and they grow over time. Cadence, however, had to have her bones grow over a period of time. It's an excruciatingly painful process, and it's irreversible." I handed the alicorn book back to Shining Armor. He took it as we turned into our room. Mom was asleep, and it looked like she never moved. I was set down next to mom on the bed, and that's when she woke up. She thanked twilight for bringing me back, yelled at me for a while, then wrapped me even tighter in her wing than before. I knew I wouldn't be getting back to the library, so I rubbed up against moms side and fell asleep.

In the morning, I was met with bright sunlight and extreme pain. I got up and on the table next to the bed, I saw the demon liquid. I knew it helped though, so I drank the pink medicine and ran for the bathroom sink. After completely rinsing my mouth of that awful taste, I came back into the room.

I was met by the night guard from yesterday. "Come with me." He said. I noticed his wings were not like mine. They looked more leathery. He saw me looking at his wings. "It's not polite to stare." I snapped back to reality, "sorry, they're just really cool!" He turned to me. "You think they're cool?" "Yeah! I wish I had wings like that!" "Most ponies treat me like I'm different. Why aren't you like them?" "I don't think being mean is a good thing to do, so I try to be nice to everypony!" He smiled at that and I knew I did something right. "You're a good kid. Just don't go running off like last night. Ah, here we are." He opened a door, revealing a large table covered with food. There were only three chairs though. "Why is there only three chairs? I thought there were a lot of people in this castle." "There are, but the princesses requested a private audience with you. Bye Feather." "Bye silent!" He was shocked at this. I don't think anyone ever called him silent. He turned and left the room as I climbed into the massive chair.

As I settled in the chair, I heard the door open again. I leaned around the edge of the chair to see who it was, but lost my grip. I fell flat on my face and looked up to see Princess Celestia holding back laughter. We all took our seats and I was addressed by Celestia. "Have you decided your wish?" I knew exactly what I wanted.

Note: what do you want his wish to be? Pm me with ideas!

-FeatherDash


	17. Luna's Curse

Seventeen

"Nothing." I said.  
"Really? Not a single desire?" Luna asked as she stared at me in disbelief.  
"Nope!" I told her  
Celestia broke our conversation.  
"That is a very amiable trait, Feather. Selflessness is very rare in people. But why would you not make a wish?"  
"I don't know. I don't need anything."  
I climbed off the chair and left the room. Had I just insulted royalty? I hope not. I walked back to the massive library to look at some books. I found it amazing that so many books were in one place. I slowly walked past isle after isle. I didn't know what I was looking for, but I loved the smell of books. I was looking at every sign on the end of the aisles. I was passing an aisle when I saw Twilight on the floor reading a book. "Hi Twilight. What are you reading?"  
"A book of advanced spells." She said as her horn began to glow.  
"Can I watch?"  
"Sure."  
I sat down a few feet away from her, watching tricks of all kinds. She grew tired as she continued; I guess magic takes a lot of energy. She closed the book, returned it to its shelf, and left. I got up and continued browsing the library_. I wish I could perform magic_. I thought to myself. All of a sudden I was surrounded in white light. _Oh no_, I thought as I was lifted into the air. When I was let down, I ran back to the room where I had seen the princesses. When I opened the door, Luna smiled and Celestia gasped.  
"I never granted you a wish. What happened?" She said as she walked over to me and poked the tiny bump on my forehead I hadn't noticed before.  
"So you did have a wish." Princess Luna walked over to me.  
"Sister, do you know of this?"  
"Of course! It was my doings after all."  
"What have you done?!"  
"I put an enchantment on him that granted any wish that entered his head; nothing big."  
"This is big! You not only gave this boy a wish he didn't want, but broke the law as well! There is no tolerance for forced magic!"  
Twilight had entered the room a few minutes ago. "I don't understand! He never said anything out loud!"  
"The spell used on him only required him to think it."  
"What did you think, Feather?! Tell me!"  
I backed up slowly. It felt like I was being yelled at. I ran out the door towards my room. When I swung the door open, I made sure mom wasn't there. I laid on the bed and cried. _I remembered what twilight had said. It's irreversible and extremely painful_. I was scared. I became sick to my stomach. I was undergoing a transformation I never asked for. How could Luna do this?

All of a sudden, there was banging on the door. I wasn't sure how many people were there, but it was more than one. I jumped off the bed and slid underneath it. I barely fit. I heard the lock open, and the door swung as at least five people ran into the room. I recognized only three sets of feet; Twilights, moms, and princess Celestia's. They were calling my name for a few minutes then everyone but mom left. Twilight had told her to lie down for a while. As I crawled out from under the bed, she noticed me. She ran over to me and picked me up. "What did you do?!" She asked me.  
"Nothing! I was in the library and I was lifted by a bright light!" I responded as I cried.  
She hugged me close as the door opened, revealing Twilight.  
"It wasn't my fault!" I yelled at her as she entered the room. She sat on the other side of me. "I know, you were victim of a crime. Princess Celestia went downstairs; Luna is being imprisoned in the moon again." She pulled mom off to the side and told her something then ran out of the room.  
"Mom I'm scared!" I yelled as she walked back to me.  
"I know. Twilight ran to get you some medicine." She responded as I was wrapped in her wing.

The door was blasted off its hinges as Cadence ran into the room. She grabbed me and flew away, leaving mom behind. I was taken all the way across the castle to a tower connected by a bridge. She landed with me on her back and entered the tower. It was a plain white room. Shining Armor was looking at himself in a mirror when he spun to see me.  
"What happened?! He said he wasn't going to make the wish!" He shouted at Cadence.  
"Luna cast a spell on him that granted any wish he thought of. We need to get him somewhere safe fast!" She shot into a room next to the bed.

She set me down on a plain white couch. At this point I was terrified. And then this happened:  
"What's wrong?" Shining armor asked. He didn't know the symptoms and Cadence responded.  
"He's going to be in a lot of pain and if he doesn't get the correct medicine, he will die!" She was rushing around the room in a frantic pattern.  
"But I feel fine!" I said as I sat up and wiped the tears away.  
"Okay, we're just going to play it safe, okay?" Cadence told me as Shining armor walked towards me. Sometime recently, the blue cast on my wing had snapped in half. He removed part of the cast and felt my wing.  
"Not a single bone is broken anymore." He said as he worked the other half off. It popped off, and I stretched my wings. They weren't black and yellow anymore. They had changed to be completely black.


	18. Fourteen Days!

I jumped up from surprise only to fall back down from dizziness. I was in full blown panic at this point. I looked up into the face of Cadence, who wore a concerned look.  
"He needs that medicine soon." she told Shining armor.  
Just then, there was banging on the door and Cadence left to see who it was. I wasn't in pain, I just became really tired. I put my head down and listened as Cadence explained the situation to someone.  
"Hey Shining Armor?" I asked.  
"Hmm?"  
"Can you get me that book again? I want to read it.,"  
"Sure. Later on, I'll go get it." He ran into the other room as I fell asleep.  
A nightmare again. A different one though. I stood in the middle of the princess's throne room. It all looked so real. Princess Celestia sat on her throne as Luna came from behind hers and walked towards me.  
"No! Stay back!" I yelled as she got closer. I tried to run, but I was held in place by purple loops around my hooves.  
"Celestia help me!" I cried. Still, she sat immobile. Watching as I struggled.  
"Please!" I was desperate, Luna came closer still. I continued screaming and struggling until Luna stood above me with a giant grin on her face. Her horn glowed as she lowered her head. I heard mom's screams in the background. She was at my eye level and said two words.  
"Experience hell."  
Her horn lowered, and as it touched my forehead, a burning sensation coursed through every vein in my body.

I began to slip in and out of consciousness as the burning intensified. When I finally woke up for good, the pain was insane. I yelled out in pain and Cadence ran into the room with a syringe of green liquid. I hated needles, but if it helped the burning, I didn't care. She wiped my foreleg with something and injected the medicine. I was clenching my teeth in pain, unable to talk without screaming. Excruciating is an understatement I thought to myself as I looked up in fear.  
Cadence smiled, but I could tell something was wrong. In about fifteen minutes, the pain went down enough for me to walk.

I stood up and walked into the other room. Everypony had left a while ago, so I was alone. I had been told to stay here, but I had to get down to the library. Twilight said it was irreversible, but there had to be a way. It took a very long time to get there, but I made it. I began scouring the shelves, looking for some way to reverse this spell. After about an hour, I gave up. There was nothing. Twilight was right; it was irreversible. I stood up and walked away. Every step sent a ripple of pain through my body. I never wanted any of this. I had a wonderful life. I had people who cared about me. I was okay with what I had. I went from that to searing pain, nightmares, and fear. Lost in my own thoughts, I ran into somepony in the hall.  
"Oh sorry." I said not bothering to look up.  
"Wait." The pony said. The voice was familiar.  
"Huh?" I turned around to see mom, standing there. She looked like she hadn't slept for weeks. She smiled at me the way she always did.  
"Mom!" I slowly walked towards her, and her face became contorted with sadness. "I didn't mean to-"  
"You told me. I know."  
I let out a tiny groan as she lifted me onto her back. I still looked a fourth her size.  
"Let's get you back upstairs." She began walking.

As we walked upstairs, I lifted my hoof to feel the bump; except it wasn't a small bump anymore. It was a small point.  
"Wha-" I was interrupted by Cadence.  
"It's going to do that for a while." She told me. She had been walking next to us for who knows how long. She had gone through this before. Either that or my memory is failing me. I was in so much pain, nothing really made sense anymore. Luckily, I had someone on my side.  
"How long does this last?" Mom asked Cadence.  
"Ten to fourteen days." She relied flatly.  
That was not what I wanted to hear. I relaxed myself and fell asleep as they continued to talk.


	19. Severed Ties

Hey guys,

FeatherDash here. If you read this far, kudos to you! I actually want to explain where this story came from. This story is actually a Line of dreams I had over the course of a week. I started writing them down and figured i'd write a fanfic on them! Turned out pretty good if you ask me. I really want to thank Skullcrusher206 and Gamingreader for letting me use their OCs and Extremely special thanks to a friend named Tristuscus, who has helped me through this entire project. Want more story? I have so much more planned for part two. I eagerly await more OC submissions, and with that I bid yyou farewell until part two: Severed Ties.

-FeatherDash

update! 1/6/13

I have recently teamed up with some pony to make a comic version of this!


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